The symptoms vary from one person to another. The most common ones include:

• Abdominal discomfort or pain
• Cramping or bloating
• Excess gas in the abdomen
• Indigestion
• Changes in patterns of bowel movement
• Diarrhea alternating with constipation
• Mucus in the stool

Common symptoms and their severity as reported by people on Patientslikeme.

• The actual cause is unknown, these factors have been shown to play a role:
• Muscle contractions in the intestine that are unusually strong
• Abnormalities in the nervous system of the intestines
• Inflammation of the intestines
• Severe infections such as gastroenteritis and bacterial colonization of the intestines
• Changes in gut microflora

There are no known measures to prevent the condition.

• Avoid stress especially where there is a family history of the disease.
• Consume adequate dietary fiber